Considering a low-carb diet? These diets have been around for many years. Although they were once described as being a controversial dieting fad, these diet plans have proven to not only be effective but also extremely healthy. Individuals with health conditions such as diabetes or high cholesterol can especially benefit from starting a low-carb diet. Doing so can help decrease the occurrence of common issues such as high blood sugar readers and high cholesterol. 

How to Switch to a Low-Carb Diet in Five Simple Steps

When starting any diet plan, one of the first things people worry about is limiting food choices they will have. Here are some suggestions for how to get started with a low-carb diet plan. 

Understand Which Foods are Low-Carb

When it comes to low carb diet foods, there is more variety out there than you may think. It’s important to learn which foods are considered low carb and which are not. You may be surprised about the carb amount in many of your favorite foods. 

Some low carb diet foods that you can incorporate into your current diet include: 

• Broccoli and cauliflower
• Nuts and seeds
• Fish
• Eggs
• Fruits like apples, blueberries, and strawberries
• Oils like olive oil or coconut oil 

Know How to Count Carbs

Knowing how to count carbs is one of the most important things when you start a low-carb diet plan. The most effective low-carb diets will only allow you to have 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates within 24 hours. Therefore, you have to choose foods that are low in carbs but also have a high nutritional value. 

Foods that contain around 15 grams of carbs per serving include: 

• 1 cup of berries 
• 2 tablespoons of raisins
• 8oz of milk
• 6oz of plain yogurt
• 1 slice of bread
• ⅓ cup of cooked rice

Create a Meal Plan 

By creating a meal plan to follow, you can help make things much easier day by day. You won’t have to wonder about what you’re going to eat each day or worry about counting carbs at each meal if you plan ahead of time. Planning your meals can help you save time and money. It can also help you to avoid making unhealthy meal choices. 

Save Time with Meal Prep

Meal planning can help out a lot, but meal prepping can also help you save time during the busy work week. If possible, it’s a good idea to prepare breakfast and lunch for Monday through Friday so that they will be ready to quickly heat up and enjoy. Having pre-prepared meals like those offered by Z.E.N. Foods can make dieting even easier. Some popular meals you can prepare ahead of time include: 

• Chicken lettuce wraps 
• Protein and vegetable stir fry
• Protein pancakes 
• Greek yogurt with fruit

Take Along Low-Carb Snacks 

Having snacks you can take along with you while running errands, or at the office, can help you curb your hunger so you will avoid snacking on unhealthy foods. You will need to go along with the correct portion size on the packaging for this to be effective. Here are some ideas for low-carb snacks you can enjoy at any time: 

• Baby carrots
• Nuts or seeds
• Unsweetened yogurt
• Hard-boiled eggs

At Z.E.N. Foods, we specialize in helping people just like you to lose weight and keep it off. That is why we have created specialized meal plans that can be delivered right to your front door. Call us at (310) 205-9368 to find out more info on low-carb diet plan options and how easy it can be to follow a low-crb regimen with Z.E.N. Foods.